Narrowing mechanism



May 25, 1937- 'R. scHLETTl-:R 2,081,185

NARROWING MECHANISM Filed Nov. l0, 1934 8 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

Bf WWW ATTORNEY.

May 25, 1937. R. sci-LETTER NARROWING MECHANISM 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. l0, 1934 ATTORNEY.

May'25, 1937. R. scHLl-:TTER 2,081,185

NARROWING MEcHANIsM l Filed Nov. 1o, 1934 l s sheets-sheets IN VENTOR.

' v/zam' so/gfzer' ATTORNEY.

May 25, 1937. R. scHLE'rTER NARROWING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 10, 1954 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 n INVENTOR.

fio/ard lefer ATTORNEY.

May 25, 1937. R. scHLETTER NARROWING MEGHANI S M Filed Nov. l0, 1934 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 I \\J L 1 IJ ATTORNEY.

May 25, 1937.

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8 R E T T E L H C S R.

. Filed NOV. 10, 1954.

Z0 l 20d) I JNVENToR. .Hic/lara? SCceP A TTORNE YS.

May 25, 1937. R. scHLETTER 2,081,185

NARROWING MECHANI SM Filed Nov. 1o', 1934 s sheets-sheet a ijf-eig. 1%.

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WMM/fn Patented May 25,` 193;?

\ UNITED STATES- PATENToFFlcE I NARROWING MECHANISM Richard Schletter, North Wales, IIa., assignor to Walls Hosiery Company, North Wales, Pa.

Application November 10, 1934, Serial No. 752,399

15 Claims. (Cl. 66-89) The present inventionV relates to a narrowing mechanism for full fashioned or fiat knitting machines and, more particularly, to that type of full fashioned or flat knitting machine commonly re- 5 ferred to in the art as footerf More specifically, the invention contemplates a mechanism devised to form the narrowing 'courses of the toe part of a full fashioned stocking in accordance with the method disclosed in my co-pending ap- 13 plication, Serial No. 737,199, filed July 27, 1934.

The usual fashioning process carried 4out to shape the toe portion of a full fashioned stocking causes the formation of so-called gores having diamond points in said toe portion. For this purpose, sets of two associated narrowing fingers or combs are utilized, each consisting of an outer larger narrowing comb and an inner smaller narrowing comb, the latter corresponding in width to that of the gore to be formed in the stocking Y toe. r 2O Heretofore, it has been customary through operation of the known mechanism to uniformly displace the sets of narrowing combs inwardly for a distance of two needles, resulting in transferring a distance of'two wales the loops within the limits of the gore and diamond point, as well as outside the limits thereof. This transfer of the loops for a distance of two wales has the disadvantage of formingA on both sides of the .,0 gores and diamond points a fashioning line which is coarse and conspicuous due tothe presence of pairs of overlapping loops. Consequently, the use,of heavier reinforcing threads is practically impossible because such heavy threads render the fashioning lines evencoarser and still more conspicuous. v

Furthermore, the transfer of loops for a distance equal to two wales causes said loops to become unduly stretched-thus weakening the structure of the fabric, and consequently increasing the possibilities of runners'or dropped-stitche occurring in thefabric.

Attempts have been made to overcome these inconveniences by modifying the action of the 45 narrowing mechanism so that the same may operate to transfer the loops for a distance of one needle only. While such a narrowing method may be advantageous for fashioning the leg portion of the stocking, experience has proven the 50 known method impractical in the proper shaping of the foot portion, particularly the toe part, because the one needle Wale transfer does not suiiiciently narrow the fabric at each narrowing course to correctly shape the stocking toe.

55 The objects of the present invention, therefore, reside in the provisionv of mechanisms adapted to be operatively associated with theV equipment embodied in the ordinary full fashioned or flat knitting machine now in'use and capable of acting differently-on the two Vnarrow- 5 ing combs included in each set mounted on the footer so that two distinct successive narrow-A ing operations will take place during the knitting of a single narrowing course, one narrowing operation transferring the loops a single wale distance ,10 and thev othernarrowing operation transferring -certain of said loops an additional Wale distance, whereby to reduce the number of overlapping loops in the fashioning lines demarking the gores and diamond points, thus permitting the use of 15 relatively heavier 'reinforcing vthreads and, fur-- ther, to reduce the strain on the loops, thereby practically obviating the possibilities of. creating dropped stitches without, however, being detrimental to the proper shaping of the stocking toe part. w MyA invention is further characterized bythe fact that the elimination of the pairs of overlapping loops materially reduces the size of the narrowing lines in the toe part. Y 5

Other important objects and advantages of the 2 invention will be inpart obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter. 1'

In order that the invention and its mode of operation may bereadily understood bythose skilled in the art, I have, in the accompanying drawings, and in the detailed description based thereupon, set out a possible embodiment of the same.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a portion of a flat knitting machine having my improved device attached thereto.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional elevation 40 through the flat .knitting machine. y

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail of a portion of the narrowing mechanism in end elevation, having certain parts broken away.

Figure 5 is a view similar to `Figure 4 with 45 tive position of the narrowing combs and a imitted course. l u

Figure 10 diagrammatically illustrates the relative position of the narrowing combs and a knitted course after the transferring of the loops a single Wale distance. f

Figure 11 diagrammatically illustrates the narrowing combs in relation to each other and the transferred course when said combs are arranged to engage the narrowing course for a. second narrowing operation. 1

Figure 12 diagrammatically'illustrates the 'relative position of the narrowing combs inthe transferring of certain of the loops a distance of two Wales. y

Figure 13 `is an enlarged detail in face' elevation, illustrating the means provided on a full fashioned knitting machine to lock the bars carrying the small narrowing combs.

Figure 14 is a top plan of thesame. [With more particular reference tothe drawings,4 wherein like characters of reference will designate corresponding parts throughout, it

is to be understood that I have shown only those parts of a full fashioned hosiery knitting machine which are essential to theproper comprehension of the present invention, the knitting machine itself` being of the usual -standard construction well known in the art. Also, whereas the that is, approximately tothe point indicated by drawings show portions at one end of the usual knitting machine, it is to be understood that similar duplicate parts are provided at the opposite end and operate in like manner.

Referringmcrewparticularly to Figure 8, I have diagrammatically illustrated au .full fashionedv stocking foot blank I which' is provided with the gores 2 defined by the outer lines of fashioning marks 3 and the inner lines of fashioning marks 4, and terminating into the diamond points 5. In accordance with my improved method of narrowing, specifically dened in my copending application, Serial No. 737,199, the main feature of' the invention resides in forming. both lines 3 and 4 by a single needle narrowing operation, that is`,-

each line of fashioning marks is produced by a row of single pairs of overlapping loops in counterdistinction to two pairs of overlapping, interengaging narrowing loops characteristic of the narrowing construction of parts of toe now in use in the manufacture of full fashioned hosiery.

Therefore, the blankl is knitted in the usual mannerto the'point where the toe part starts,

dotted lines A-A in Figure 8. From then on, the narrowing device of the footer is set 'in motion and my improved mechanism may be brought immediately in operation,`although in practice, I have found `that I may, and preferably do, narrow the toe fabric inthe usual two needle fashion for a group of courses without any detrimental results, since the fabric area in the initial courses between the gores is of sufficient width and elasticity to counteract the stress imposed upon the' stretched overlapping loops. At a portion intermediate the length of the gores 2, for instance at the point indicated by the dotted line B-B, my improved mechanism' is automatically set into operation to carry on the single needle narrowing in the manner to be hereinafter more specically set forth.

In the drawings illustrating the mechanism which I have devised for carrying my improved method aforesaid, the usual machine frame is indicated at I and carries the center bedA II about which is mounted, asA shown in Figure 3, the knitting section of the machine, designated in its entirety for convenience, by the reference character I2. The knitting section I2 essentially comprises the needle bar I3 carrying the needles I4, the knock-over bit I5 and the dividers I6. The thread or yarn is fed to the knitting section I2 of the machine by the carriers I1 depending from the carrier rods I8 mounted for reciprocation in the carrier rod bracket I9. The relative position, operation, and functionof these various elements of the knitting section I2, as above defined, are well understood by those skilled in the art.

The narrowing mechanism of the knitting machine includes narrowing ngers or combs 20 connected to the sliding bars 2I slidably mounted in supports 22 carried by a shaft 23 suspended from an arm, 24 pivoted, as represented at25, to

the rear portion of the knitting vmachine frame I0. The dipping motion of the narrowing combs is effected in the usual manner by means of a vertical lever 26 having its upper extremity connect- -ed to the pivoted arm 24 and its lower extremity articulated to`a substantially horizontally disposed lever 2'I pivotally connected, as at 28, to the front portion of the machine frame I0 and carrying a roller'l29 at a point intermediate its connection with the arm 26 and with the frame I0.

The roller 23 is adapted to contact with the peripheral surface of a dipping cam V3i) secured to the main cam shaft 3| of the machine.A

The narrowing motion controlling the horizontal displacement of the narrowing combs and of the carrier rods is obtained, as is well known in the art, through actuation of the narrowing nut spindle 32 and the carrier rod stop nut spindle 33 which are set in operation when it is desired to decrease the width of the fabricy and to vary the travel ofthe thread carriers accordingly.

For this purpose, as will more clearly appear from Figure 2 vof the drawings, a cam 34 is mountroller 35 carried by a lever 36 having one of its ends pivoted as at 31 to the front portion of the machine frame |02 Connected for pivotal movement 'o the free extremity of the lever'36 is an upwardly directed fork member 3B. The spread branches of said member 38 pivotally engage links 39 and`40 carrying pawls 4I and 42 (see Figure 5) respectively engageable with tooth ratchet Wheels 43 and 44 secured to said spindles 32 and 33. The

'ed on the main cam shaft 3l and acts upon a I pawls 4I and 42 are connected by a link 45 having a slot 45' affording a loose connection to permit independent movement of the pawl42.

The teeth of ratchet Wheel 43 are so spaced that the racking of said wheel one tooth will to advance the associated narrowing nut the distance of two needles.

:The spindle 3 2A is further provided with an additional ratchet wheel 46 having its teeth ex-` tended in a direction opposite to thatof ratchet wheel 43 and adapted to be actuated for reversely rackingthe spindle 32 for the distance 'of one needle, by means of a spring pressed4 pawl 41 pivoted to a convenientpoint uponthe fork-shaped member 38 as indicated at 48. l The K pawl 41 is withdrawn from operative position with theusual notched disc 52 and detent 53P cooperating to maintain the ,spindles in position after each racking thereof. Upon each spindle 32 and 33 is'also mounted the manually operable crank 54 used to adjust the carrier stop nut and the narrowing nut on their respective spindle and to return said nuts to their original position after each narrowing operation. This mechanism'and its operation are well known and accordingly need no further description.

The mechanism embodying the present invention is devised to vary the normal racking movement of the spindles and is particularly adapted to act upon the various pawls hereinbefore referred tofor modifying their operation.' For this purpose, and ,in order to control th narrowing nut spindle pawl 4| there is suitably mounted at the rear of the machine frame l a rotatable stub shaft 55 having one end projecting laterally of the machine in substantial alignment with the outer extremity of the narrowing spindles 32 and 33. A downwardly directed arm 56 is rigidly fixed to the projected end of said shaft 55 andpivotally connected to a horizontally slidable bar 51 arranged to normally lay adjacent An upstand.

the ratchet pawls 4|, 42, and 41. ilng blade 58 is adjustably secured to a portion of the bar 51 in the manner indicated at 59 and y is disposed for engagement with a pin 60 mounted upon the pawl 4| so that in the movement of said blade in the direction indicated by the arrow I, (Figure 5), said pawl Will be forced out"` of engagement with its cooperatingratchet Wheel 43. It is to be noted that the edge of the blade 58 disposed adjacent the pin 60 carried by the narrowing nut spindle pawl 4|, is formed with `a recess 58' whereby, upon registration of the nut spindle 33 when said pawl is displaced by action of the blade 58, a stop plate 6| is axed to the pawl connecting link 45 and disposed to extend in the path of movement of said pawl 8|.

In order to control the stop nut spindle ratchet pawl 42, as is more clearly shown in Figures 4 and 5, a vertically disposed arm 62 is pivoted at ,itsv intermediate portion to" the frame I8 by means of a pin 63. The upper end portion of said arm 62 is'freely connectedto the slidable bar 51 by a pin 84 and terminates with a nger 85 positioned to engage al pin 68 carried by thepawl 42 so that the movement of the arm lit."l in the direction indicated by the arcw II 'will cause said 'pawl to disengage its associated ratchet wheel 44. As shown, a slot 51 is cut into the bar 51 at its point of Aconnection with the arm.

B2. The position and size ofthe slot 51 is so determined that the rear edgehthereof will bear against the pin 66 on said arm 62 when the bar 51 is in position, illustrated in Figure '5, and

thus 'prevent said arm from 'moving in the direction indicated by arrow II, but when the bar 51 is displaced to the position illustrated in Figure 4,

the arm 62 will be free to rock about its pivot 83.

Pivotal rocking movement is imparted to the arm 62 by means of a'cam device indicated in its entirety by the-reference character 81 receiving its motion through actuation 'of the lever 36. 1

'I'he cam device 81 includes an undulated cam disc 88 rotatably supported on a pin 89 mounted upon the machine frame I0, the peripheral -cam` tremity of the arml 62. Positive Contact between' the cam disc 68 and the roller 18 is assured by^ means ofxa coil spring 1| having one end c'onnected tothe cam supporting pin 69 and the other end connected to an oiset extension 12 projecting from said lower extremity -'of the arm 82.

Rigid with the cam disc 88 for the purpose of rotating the same, is a ratchet 13 cooperatively associated with a pawl-14 carried by a support 15 freely received-upon the pin 89 and pivotally connected to a link 16 which engages the lever 38 at its point of connection with the forked member 38 as represented at 11, so that, upon movement of the lever 3B, the cam device will be operated in the manner and for the purpose to be hereinafter more specifically set forth.

It is to be noted that the high spots 18 and the low spots 19 of the cam disc 68 are spaced in -such a manner that the distance therebetween is equal to one tooth of the ratchet 13, thusrcausing the lever 82 to rock in time with the dipping movement of the lever 36. The purpose of this timed action will be apparent' as the description progresses. A link 80 adjustably interconnects the arm 62 and the ratchet pawl 41 of the usual narrowing mechanism, so that said pawl is thrown in and out of action with the movement of said arm. u

` Of preference, the means just now described for controlling theaction of the pawls of the nar- `rowing mechanism are automatically set in operation and to accomplish this, there is mounted upon the stub shaft 55 andy rigidly secured thereto by means vof bolts, or the like, 8|, a bracket 82 carrying a guide 83 engageable with a slide block 84 xed to the sliding bearing 85 of the carrier stop nut 88 for movement therewith. This arrangement, it will be understood, prevents rotation of the shaft 55 which is normallyurged in the direction indicated by the arrow III by means of a coil spring 81 having one end suitably connectedfto said shaft as at 88, and the other endconnected to a'convenient portion of the machine frame I0 as shown at 89.

` By reason of this construction, it will be apprey ciated that with continued advancement of the carrier stop nut 86 the slide block'84 will pass beyond the guide 83 whereupon the bracket 82 w together with the shaft 55 will be free to rotate, thus automatically actuating the pawl controlling means, as hereinbefore stated. c

In order to return the shaft\55.and its bracket 82 to their original position and, accordingly, re-

able crank 54. The engagement of said cam block 92 with its slide block 84 causes the bracket 82 to be displaced and this permits said slide block 84 to slip past the guide 83. .A guiding linger 93 is mounted to project from one side of the bar 90 to assure the proper movement of the latter.

In the footer" now commonly in use, there'l are provided in each knitting section of the machine two sets of narrowing combs or fingers 20 each set consisting of an outer larger comb a and an inner smaller comb 20h, Figure 1, the combs included in each section being independently supported by a separate sliding` bar 2|.

Each sliding bar in the usual manner is divided into two parts: one part extending over one-half of the length of themachine is.controlled from one end of the latter; the other part extending over the remaining half of the machine is controlled from the other end thereof.

According to the present invention, this usual arrangement is modified to the extent that the sliding bars supporting the smaller combs of one set are adapted to be controlled from one end of the machine to move over its entire length, and the sliding bars supporting the smaller combs of the remaining set are adapted to be controlled from the other end of the machine to move like- I purpose, the divided sliding bars of said smaller wise vover the entire length thereof. For this combs 20h are united preferably by means of a connection bolt, as shown at 94.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that the operation of .the narrowing mechanism is as usual so long as the pawl controlling meansembodying the present inventionis retained in a position of inactivity. In this position, the stub shaft is vheld against the normal action of the spring 81 because of the engagement between the slide block 84 carried by the carrier stop nut 86 and the guide 83, the latter being supported upon the bracket 82`r'igid with said shaft 55. Accordingly, the slidable bar 51 is maintained in a f position tokeep the blade 58 and'the arm 62 away from the abutments 60 and 66' on pawls 4| and 42 respectively, so that said pawls are actuated normally. through the usual'motion of the narrowing mechanism to rack the ratchets 43and 44 for'rotating 'the spindles 32 and 33 and thus causing movement of their respective spindle nuts inwardly of they knitting machine repeated for the distance of two needles. It is to be noted that the movement of the ca'mming` device' 61 has no effect on the arm |52 since the latter is heldagainst movement de to its engagementwith the bar 5'|.A

With continued advance of the carrier stop nut 86, Figure 1, the slide block 84 will be carried out of engagement with the guide 83 whereupon the bracket 82, and the stub shaft. 55 carrying the same, will be released, themoment of release being determined by the longitudinal adjustment of the bracket 82 upon the shaft 55.

Upon the freeing of vsaid shaft, the spring 81 urges ,the same outwardly of the machine carrying therewith the arm 56 and the slidable bar 51 which, in turn, brings the blade 58 in contact with the abutment 60 on pawl 4| and by reason of pin 64 in slot 51'-, frees the arm 62 to contact' with the abutment 66 on thepawl 42.- Said pawls 4| and 42 are thereby forced out of engagement with their respective ratchets 43 and 44.' `At the same time, the arm 62 becomes free to be acted upon by the camming device 61.

In released position, my ratchet pawl controlling mechanism operates as follows; The oscillation of the lever 36 through rotation of the dipping cam 34 actuates, by means of link 16,

the pawl and ratchet 13 and 14 which revolves the cam disc 68 acting upon the roller 10 to rock l the arm 62 about its pivotal pin 63.

The rocking motion of the arm 62, of course,

'displaces the cam finger 65 thereof to and fro,

for controllingthe movement of the pawl 42to operative and inoperative positions. As hereinbefore stated, the movement of the arm 62 has no effectl upon the bar 51 nor upon the blade 58 because of the slot 51' provided in said bar.

'Ihe operation of the mechanism just defined changes the usual double narrowing to a single narrowing in the `following manner:

In` practice, the action of the arm operating cam wheel 68 is'timed so that at the releasing moment of the shaft 55 a high spot 18 is opposite the roller 10, thus maintaining the iinger`65 away from the pawl 42 althoughl the blade 58 is brought immediately into action. In this position, the pawl 42 will act upon the ratchet 44 to advance the same the distance of one notch while the pawl 4| is permitted to also advance the will remain stationary during the initial displacement of the pawl 4 but with continued movement of the latter the pin 60 will be brought to register ,with recess 58" whereupon said pawl 4| will fall in engagement with the ratchet 43 to rotate the spindle 32 for advancing its associated `narrowing nut the'distance of one needle. The

blade 58, therefore, modifies the action of the pawl 4| in that it causes the same to engage in succession each notch of the ratchet 43 in stead the spindle 32 and its associated narrowing vnut of engaging every other notch as inthe usual two needle narrowing. A

At the down movement of said first' dipping motion, the back racking pawl 41 will fail to act because of the connection between said pawl 41 andthe arm 62, which connection retracts the pawl 41 and holds the same awayl from the ratchet 46. I

The second following'dipping motion of the lever 36 brings a high spot 18 `in alignment with the roller 10 thereby rocking the arm 62 to that position necessary to bring thefinger 65 away from'the pin 66, thus freeing the pawl 42 for engagement with the ratchet 44 and also releasing the pawl 41 for engagement withthe reversely racking ratchet 46. As hereinbefore stated, the rocking movement of the arm 62 does not disturb the blade 58 which continues to maintain the pawl 4| out of engagement with the ratchet Therefore, at the up movement of said-second dipping motion, the spindle 33 will be rotated to advance itsA associated carrier stop nut the distance of two needles and the spindle 32 will be rotated to advance its associated narrowing nut the distance Aof one needle in the same manner described in connection with the first dipping shown in Figure 1l.

motion. At the down movementI of said second dipping motion, the pawl 41 having been released, engages the ratchet .46 and racks back the spindle 32. n

The movements imparted to the narrowing nut spindle 32 by action of its ratchet acts upon the two sets of narrowing combs or fingers 20a andl 20h in the manner diagrammatically illustrated in Figures 9 to 12 inclusive.

Referring to Figure 9, it will be noted that the narrowing combs 20a and 20h are associated in close relation to enable the points carried thereby to descend and engage all the loops' L of the knitted course C. It will be understoodthat the combs descend to engage the loops through operation of the arm 26 operatively associated with Athe dipping camv 30 in the manner heretofore described.

In Figure 10, I have shown the narrowing combs 20a and 20h in the same corelation as` shown in Figure 9 but transferred laterally, as a unit, a single wale distance to transfer all the loops L engaged by the points thereof a distance of a single wale onto the needles I2. When this*` has been accomplished, the narrowing combs 20a and 20o are raised verticallythrough the dipping motion aforesaid in their associated relation. whereupon the comb 20a. is moved coursewise away from the comb 20h the distance of one Wale, .the comb 20h retainingits walewise position, asv The combs 20a and 20h then descend in this adjusted relation so that the points thereof will engage all the heretofore transferred loops with the exception of that' loop disposed within the space between the separate combs, said loop being indicated in thedrawings by the reference character E. The combs 20a, and 20h are thereupon lifted vertically in their adjusted posi- 'tion with the loops connected to the points thereof. When thecombs 20a, andlb have been elevated to their nalposition, the comb 20a is moved into its former relation with the comb 20h, as shown in Figure 12, the comb 20h retain-l ing Iits forner position, with the result that when both combs are simultaneously moved downwardly into a second engagement with the needles I 2, certain of the loops of the transferred portion of the narrowing course C will be transferred a distance of two wales while the remaining transferred loopsv of said course will be transferred to a position corresponding to ,one 'wale distance J only.

By proceeding in this manner, a single loop S is deposited onto a single lgop L for providing a single pair P of transferred, overlapping loops,

forming the outer narrowing line 3, while a single' loverlapping loop S' is deposited onto a single loop L' to` provide a pair of overlapping loops P' forming the inner narrowing line d,

I wish to call attention to thefact that each narrowing course includes two series of transferred loops, the loops of oneA series, that the loops within the gore 2 and diamond point 5 are transferred for a one wale distance only, whereas the loops of the remaining series, that is, the loops on the outside of the gore I and diamond point# are transferrred a two wale distance.

'Ihe corelative action between the narrowingv nut spindle operating mechanism .and the sets of narrowing combs or fingers is as follows:-

As previously stated, immediately uponrelease of' my improved device, the spindle 32 is rotated to 'advance its associated narrowingnut the distance of one needle. This permits the larger narrowing fingers 20a to move inwardly, carrying ting machine.

that a ratchet plate IUI) is affixed to each of they sliding bars 2l carrying the small narrowing therewith the smaller narrowing ngers 20h to transfer all the loops the distance of one wale, as shown in Figure 10. The smaller narrowing fingers 20h are then locked in position through `the usual means provided upon the machine for that purpose. The preferred and most used form of locking means is that provided'on the Reading full fashionedV knitting machine andthe parts constituting such means are shown and described on pages 151-152 of the Reading Catalogue, copyrighted 1929 by Textile Machine Works of Reading', Pennsylvania. In Figures 13 and 14, I have illustrated this commonly known locking means mounted for operation on the knit- From these gures, it will appear combsl 20h and that a spring blade IOI is xedly secured to a portion of the bar supporting brackets 22 and disposed thereon to extend over each ratchet plate |00. eachspring lblade IUI is kinked, as'shown at I02, to provide an angular protuberance |03 projecting in the path of the associated ratchet plate |00 and engaging the teeth of the latter. In this manner, it will be appreciated that the bars 2i carrying the small combs 20D are yieldably held in their adjusted positions during the narrowing operation due to the spring blades IIJ I which constantly bear upon the ratchet plates with suicient pr'ssure to prevent accidental displacement of the bars but allow the sliding movement of the latter by riding over the teeth of the ratchet plates when the bars are forced by actuation of the narrowing mechanism in the manner hereinbefore stated. The racking back of the narrow-4 The intermediate portion of ing nut spindle 32 allows the larger narrowing fingers 20a. to move outwardly and away from the locked smaller narrowing 'fingers 20h for a one waledistance, as shown in Figure 11, so that with the next forward movement of the narrowing nut spindle/said larger narrowing 'fingers 20a will transfer those loops engaged thereby the distance of 'an additional wale, as-represented in Figure 12.

- At this last mentioned movement of the narrowing nut spindle 32 the same will not be racked back but will remain in position since by that time the pawl 41 willhave been retracted through the rocked motion of the arm 62, and the. corresponding movement of the connecting link 80. Because of thisit will be understood that the parts are in readiness to repeatthe cycle of .operation above dened.

\ .The action of the arm 62 throwing the pawl 42 out of operation at every other dipping motion, it will be appreciated, is for thepurpose of invention those modifications which come wlth- I in the scope of the subjoined claims.

What I claim is: j 1. In combination with the narrowing mechanism of a full fashioned-footer knitting machine having a pair of narrowing .combs corelated to form a toe gore in the foot of a full fashioned stocking', mechanism operatively Aassociated therewith whereby the two combs will be simultaneously given a single' needle narrowing lmotion, then one of said combs retracted the distance of a single needle .and subsequently advanced a. single needle distance while the other comb remains stationary.

2. In combination with the narrowing mechanism of a full fashioned footer knitting machine having a large narrowing comb and a' small narrowing comb, mechanism operatively associated therewith whereby the two combs will be simultaneously given a single needle narrowing motion, then said large comb retracted a single needle distance and subsequently advanced a single needle distance while said small comb remains stationary.

3. 'In combination with the narrowing mecha- I nism of a full fashioned footer knitting machine i having two sets of associated narrowing combs arranged in inner an-douter relation and a narrowing nut spindle operating to actuate said combs, means acting upon the narrowing nut spindle to rotate the same in one direction whereby to simultaneously advance both of said combs for a one needle distance and other means acting upon the narrowing nut spindle to rotate the same in reverse direction whereby to retract the outer comb for a one needle distance indepenc ently of the inner comb.

5. In a full fashioned footer knitting machine having .a narrowing nut spindle ratchet, and a pawl associated therewith for normally performing a two needle narrowing operation: a mechanism for changing the two needle narrowing to a one needle narrowing operation comprising a bar mounted for horizontal -displacement adjacent the narrowing nut spindle ratchet and pawl; a guiding element carried by said bar and adapted upon movement of the latter in 'one direction .to be brought into contact with the pawl for urging the same outl of engagement with its associated ratchet during'the initial operative movement of said pawl; said element having means allowing the pawl, during the continued operative movement thereof, to fall into engagement with the ratchet.

6. In a full fashioned footer knitting -machine having a narrowingnut spindle ratchet, and a pawl associated therewith for normally performing a two needle narrowing `operation: a mechanism for changing the two needle narrowing to a one needle narrowing operation comprising a bar mounted for horizontal displacement adjacent the narrowing nut spindle ratchet and pawl; means under control of the knitting machine for automatically moving said bar into active position a guiding element carried by said bar and adapted upon movement of the latter into active position to be brought into contact with the pawl for` urging the same out of engagement with .its

associated ratchet during the initial operative movement of said pawl; said element having means allowing the pawl, during the continued operative movement thereof, to fall into engagement with the ratchet.

7. In a full fashioned footer knitting machine having alnarrowing nut spindle ratchet and a for changing the two needle narrowing to a one-` needle narrowing operation comprising a bar mounted for horizontal displacement adjacent the narrowing nut spindle ratchet and pawl; a blade upstanding from said bar and adapted upon movement 'of the latter in one direction to be brought into contact with the pawl for urging the same out of engagement with its associated ratchet during the initial operative movement of said pawl,J said blade having a recess so disposed thereon that the pawl, during continued operative movement thereof, will' come to registerwith the recess' and -thus become free to fall intoengagement with the ratchet.

8. In a full fashioned footer knitting machine \having a narrowing nut spindle ratchet, and a pawl associated therewith for normally performing aV two needle narrowing operation: a device for changing the two needle narrowing to a one needle narrowing operation comprising a bar mounted for horizontal displacement adjacent the narrowing nut spindle ratchet and pawl; means under control of the knitting machine for automatically moving said bar into active position; a-

blade upstanding from said bar and adapted, ,upon movement of the latter into active position, to be brought. into contact with the pawl for urging the same out of engagement with its associated ratchet during the initial operative movement of said pawl, said' blade having a recess so disposed thereon that the pawl, during continued operative movement thereof, will come to register with the recess and thus become free to fall into engagement with the ratchet.

' 9. In a full fashioned footer knitting machine having a narrowing nut spindle ratchet, a carrier stop nut spindle ratchet, `and pawls associated therewith for normally performing a two needle narrowing operation; a mechanism operable for changing from the two `.needle narrowing toaA i one needle narrowing operation comprising: a bar.l

mounted forhorizontal displacement; a guiding element carried by' said bar and adapted upon4 movement of the latter in one direction to contact with the narrowing nut spindle ratchet pawl for urging the same out of engagement with its as sociated ratchet; a pivoted arm disposed for contact with the carrier stop nut spindle ratchet pawl; means acting upon said arm to impart a rocking motion .thereto for alternatively moving the same in and out of contact with the carriernut ratchet pawl whereby to alternatively carry the latter in' and out of engagement with said' carrier stop -nut ratchet during the one needle narrowing operation; and means between said horizontally displaceable bar and pivoted arm adapted to lock the latter away from the carrier stop nut spindle ratchet and against the action -of said rocking motion impartingmeans prior to the movementof said bar in the mentioned direction. t

10. In a full fashioned footer k'nittlng machine having a narrowing nut spindle ratchet, a carrier stop nut spindle ratchet, and pawls asso- A'1li ciated therewith for normally performing a two needle narrowing operation; a mechanism operable for changing from the two needle narrowing to a one needle narrowing operation comprising: a bar mounted for horizontal displacement; a guiding element carried by said bar and adapted upon movement of the latter in one direction to contact with the narrowing nut spindle ratchet 'Dawl for urging the same out of engagement with its associated ratchet; a pivoted arm disposed for contact with the carrier stop nut spindle ratchet pawl; a cam device acting upon said arm to impart a rocking motion thereto, for alternatively moving the same in and out of Contact with.the carrier stop nut ratchet pawl whereby to alternatively carry the latter in and out of engagement with said carrier stop nut ratchet during the one needle narrowing operation; and means between said horizontally displaceable bar and pivoted arm adapted to lock the latter away from the carrier stop nut spindle ratchet and against the action of said cam device prior to the movement of Asaid bar in the mentioned direction.

11. A method of narrowing a course of loops of a full fashioned knitted toe fabric by means of associated large and small narrowing combs, the small narrowing combs being adapted to form toe gores in said fabric, consisting in first moving said combs simultaneously into engagement with certain loops of the courses and simultaneously transferring' said certain loops a single wale distance; then moving the combs simultaneously out of engagement with the transfer loops; then moving said large narrowing comb away from the small narrowing comb independently and then moving the narrowing combs into engagement with the previously transferred loops; and finally moving the large narrowing comb to a second narrowing position independently of Athe small narrowing comb whereby the loops finaly engaged by the large narrowing comb will be transferred CLI a distance of two wales and the loops engaged by the small narrowing comb will be transferred a distance of a single Wale.

12. A method of narrowing a course of loops of a full fashioned knitted toe fabric by means of associated large and small narrowing combs, the small narrowing combs being adapted to form toe gores in said fabric, comprising transferring onel wale distance all the loops in those portions of the fabric courses to be narrowed by moving simultaneously the two associated combs for a distance of one needle and subsequently transferring ceri tain of said loops an additional one wale distance by retracting the large comb and then advancing the same for a distance of one needle while maintaining t'he small comb stationary.

13. A method of narrowing a course of loops of a full fashioned knitted toe fabric by means of a pair of combs co-related for engaging and transferring the knitted loops to form a toe gore in said fabric, consisting in first moving the two combs simultaneously for a distance of one needle to transfer the vloops a single wale distance, then retracting one of the combs the distance of a single needle and subsequently advancingi the same operation causing the actuation of the vcombs to accomplish a normal double needle narrowing,- and the other operationcausing the actuation of the two combs to accomplish a single needle narrowing by first moving the two combs simultaneously .for the distance of one needle, then retracting one of the combs the distance of a .single needle and subsequently advancing the same comb the distance of a single needle while the other comb remains stationary, and means operatively associated with said mechanism for controlling the same to selectively function for either of the aforesaid operations.

15. In combination with the narrowing mecha-l nism of a full fashioned footer knitting machine having a `pair of' narrowing combs correlated to form a toe gore in the foot of a'full fashioned stocking, mechanism operatively associated with said combs and capable of actuating the same to perform two different narrowing operations, one operation causing the actuation of the combs to accomplish a normal double needle narrowing, and the other operation causing the actuation of the two combsto accomplish a single needle narrowing by rst moving the two combs simultaneously for thedistance of one needle, then retracting one of the combs the distance of a single needle and subsequently advancing the same comb the distance of a single needle while the other comb remains stationary; and means operatively associated with said mechanism for controlling the same to selectively function for either of the aforesaid operations, said means consisting of a link system under' control of the knitting machine and connected to said mechanism whereby the latter may be automatically acted upon to effect the change from the double needle narrowing to the single needle narrowing operation ata predetermined point during the function of the knitting machine. y

RICHARD SCHLE'I'I'ER. 

